


Around the Bend

by Kyntha



Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: Fluff, One Shot, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 13:44:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4394183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyntha/pseuds/Kyntha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hawkeye discovers Radar and Father Mulcahy leaving camp with a patient.  He demands to know what they are doing.<br/>Or<br/>In which Hawkeye gets his comeuppance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Around the Bend

Radar ran around to the driver's side of the jeep and jumped in. "Father Mulcahy will be right back and then we'll head out." He said to his passenger. "Don't you worry none. Well have you back before Major Houlihan or any of the doctors know you're gone."

"Radar," Hawkeye approached the jeep. He'd been 10 rounds with Frank this morning and was in no mood to see a patient sitting in a jeep even if it was with the company clerk.

"Uh-oh" Radar mumbled pulling his hat down.

"Radar what are doing with this patient?" Hawkeye demanded. "He's not fit for travel yet!"

"We're not going far, Capt. Pierce, sir. Honest!" He hoped Father Mulcahy would return because he could explain their mission so much better.

"Doctor..." Private Johnson, the patient, began. 

"Don't worry. I'll get you back to Post-Op in a minute," Hawkeye waved him off. "Radar, I don't care if you were driving him to the Mess Tent and back, get Johnson back inside!"

The young corporeal could feel a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. Where was the father? "But Capt. Pierce, sir, he and the Father and I have sumthin that we gotta do! We're just goin' up the road for a bit and we'll have him back by by dinner. I promise."

“Radar!” At that moment Father Mulcahy dashed up with his bible under one arm and his panama hat in the other.

“Oh, dear! Is something wrong, Hawkeye?” He exclaimed.

“Yes, something’s wrong! This man can’t travel! He needs to be back in bed with fluids right now. Not off doing whatever it is you’re doing with him! Now help me get him out of the jeep and back into his wheelchair.”

“Doctor...” Private Johnson started again.

“Not now, Johnson.” Hawkeye snapped.

“Dr. Pierce.” Father Mulcahy spoke forcefully. “We don’t have time for this. If you’re so concerned about Private Johnson, get in the jeep. You’ll understand shortly.”

Hawkeye knew when Father Mulcahy put his foot down, it didn’t matter what you might be upset about, it was best to listen to the chaplain. So Hawkeye climbed in the back of the jeep with the older man and held on as Radar started down the dusty road toward Uijeongbu village. Radar could be an erratic driver and today was no exception, but Private Johnson seemed to be holding up okay, considering he had only one leg to support himself with. Father Mulcahy held the young man tightly from behind each time the jeep hit a rut in the road.

A few minutes later, Radar stopped the jeep around a bend in the road as close as he could without getting it stuck in the ditch. Off the side nearest Private Johnson in an what appeared to be an used field was a 15 x15 or so space littered with a couple dozen small, crudely crafted wooden markers and a few spots of freshly dug dirt. Hawkey had moved past annoyed and was now curious about the site before him.

Father Mulcahy helped Private Johnson turn in the jeep toward the curious patch of earth while Radar took a similarly looking crude cross out of his bag. “Here you go, Private.” he said. “I tried to draw a football on it like you said you wanted only it came out a bit smashed on one side. Sorry ‘bout that.” 

“It’s perfect, Radar.” Johnson mumbled.

“Your spot is right over here, my son.” Father Mulcahy pointed toward a patch of fresh earth. “Shall I plant the marker for you?”

“Yes, Father.”

The three of them huddled close while Father Mulcahy prayed and read a passage from Jeremiah in the Old Testament. Something about plans for hope and a future. Radar offered Johnson his handkerchief when the injured soldier began to silently weep. Finally Father Mulcahy whispered to the young man, “We should be getting you back, my son. It’s nearly dinner time.”

The two men arranged Private Johnson in the jeep for the short ride back to camp, then Radar swung the vehicle around. As the jeep was turning, Hawkeye craned his neck to read the hand lettered marker. “RIP Pt. B. W. Johnson’s Right Leg.”

“I only take the ones who want to go, sir.” Radar said later over liver and onions in the mess tent. “It truly is where we bury the arms and legs. A finger once too! I can’t be sure whose leg is where, though, and most of the men can’t get out of the jeep anyways. So I just use the same spot over an’ then move the marker later. I had to ask Father Mulcahy to help me ‘cause he’s better at the Bible and the prayin’ stuff, you know. He said it gives the men closure. Whatever that means.” Radar shrugged and paused to take a bite of food. “I just know it makes ‘em feel better after. I didn’t mean to do any harm, Capt. Pierce, honest!”

“Radar, just promise me one thing. From now on, let me clear the patients medically before you take them around the bend, okay?”

“Oh sure thing, Hawkeye!” The young clerk smiled around a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

Hawkeye clapped him on the shoulder and before standing to leave him to his meal said, “Radar, you are the finest kind.”

**Author's Note:**

> In s4e12 "Of Moose and Men" Radar has a line about "around the bend near where we bury the arms and legs." It kind of stuck with me and this one shot grew out of it.


End file.
